New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TWO NOVELS.

TWO NOVELS.
s,xr .Nn PALM w MoxCURE D. CONWAY. 16mo,
DIP 3Is. Henry Holt & Co.
CAPTAIN MACDoNALpss u DAJGHb ai fy ar DscHl
Mr. Moncure d. Conway has written, In " Plne
and ralm,, an interesting and graceful story
though of a hardly possible type. That young
Southerner, having become the bosom friend OF a
young Mort herner, should agree with his comrade
to exchange places; that the Northerner should 90
south and the Southerner north, and SO each
should discover unsupported charms III the section
of the other, is certainly a scheme affordlng re-
markable openings TO the writer, and per-
haps that is all that needs to 10 said about It, But
it must be pointed out that after all Mr.. Conway
has allowed his Northern hero much freer hand
than the Southern man obtains and that ne
is permitted to indoctrinate the South with
the beauty and the holiness of Boston
culture to almost an unfair extent. Such Dos
ton;ans as this Young Wentworth are no douDo
worthy of the most Boswelan apnas but was IL
quite right to accord him all the sweets anu poor
Randolph all the blows The War OF the Reoeliioh
does not enter into the story Mt ALL 1t is cast III 'he
ante-belum period. John Brown and his raid are
mentioned and the Kansas troubles, but gencralIy
speaking there is little sectional controversy. Inc
view given of the best type of Southern planter is
owners cannot be doubted. though it would he a
mistake to conclude that they really gave the tone
to the Sonth or even to then own class 1t IS also
open to question perhaps, whether Mr. Conway Is
Justified in asserting that all the fun had died ont
of the negroes before emancipation, and that ther
only excitement was found in religion. The rcvlval
and camp-meetng certainly counted TOT much Win
the slave but surely song and dance were not coD-
nletelv banished by the terror Of the law ana the
denuncations of their orentally fanatical and ex-
travagaut religious teachers The general tome ol
MIR. Conway's story Is most conclhatory ana ira
terna HIS style Is crisp, fresh and bright. lie
has natural prediction for beauty and likes 10
fill his pages with charming scenery aud pretty
girls These preferences will probably not ALLEVIATE
the public from his novel. which IS indeed well
worth reading.
captain Macdonalds Daughter is largely
study in heredity Given father of weak con-
science. next to no sense of duty. and that spend
thrift disposition which Is almost as bitter curse
70 its pOssessor as dipsomania, and what may be
expected from his offspring That Is the problem
here dealt with and dealt with in mastery way
The working out Of poor Mans character the subtle
growth in her with necessary variations according
TO sex. of her fathers defects. afford ample oppor-
tunty for the display of literary skill OF no mean
order and tact AID insight sufficiently uncommon
to be considered remarkable. ANA WHO tHo o'uu'
of this fatally handicapped creature forms the lead
ing motive of the story it is never unduly empha-
sized or pursued to the detrimcnt of the general
interest The accessories are well and thoroughly
attended TO- The Scotch minister and his oddly as
sorted family. with their peculiar life at the ola
manse; the ladies' of the castle; the bits OF
homely Scotch dOmesticity; all is capitalIy dohe'
The story passes from Scotland to Virginia. and the
pictures of Southern village life are not less vVld
and mai ural than the European scenes.
The main interest necessarily attaches TO the
career of Nan. Her character, while of toierably
familiar type is not at all an easy one to exhibit
faithfully. but the author has completely sue
ceeded. This girl with the poetic and artistic tenn
perament full of vague yearnIngs and hlgh lmagln-
ings, is hopelessy earth bound by her inherited
Weaknesses These led her TO deception, vainglorl-
BUSINESS mendacity, and final ruin. Yet with all
her foibles she possesses a nobility which enables
her to make great remuneration, to sacrihce her
own prospects Of happiness to the welfare of the
man she loves. This is very finely conceived and
delicately executed. For such a one as Nan there
could be no peaceful ending. She was obviously
bredestlned to early wreck from her cradle. But
there is high art i'll the development of her charac-
ter and the whole story is as interesting az 1t Is
suggestive Whether Mr.. Campbell IS a CALVIN
or not there is little TO show but Science Is at one
with Theology in affirming that, whatever the
cause may be- the sins OF the fathers are indeed
visited upon the children, and not seldom even to
the third and fourth generations.